Saturday, August 6, 2016

A Bifurcated "Rent"

Rent -- Ivoryton Playhouse -- Thru August 28

There’s something strange going on out at Ivoryton
Playhouse. No, it’s not that the venerable establishment is boarding Jonathan
Larson’s “Rent,” although the choice is a bit daring for Ivoryton. Rather, it’s
that there are actually two shows up there on the stage: with the first act often
unintelligible with regards to relationships and exactly what is going on, and
the second act a clear, engaging exploration of relationships in extremis.

“Rent” is essentially a sung-through musical, which means
there is minimum dialogue. Hence, you absolutely need to hear what is being
sung by the various characters to understand what is going on (unless you’ve
Googled the musical and are prepared). This seems to be the major problem in
the first act – the characters are singing and interacting but, well, you often
really can’t understand what they are saying, or singing. Obviously, a big
problem, and it’s not one that just one person experienced.

“Rent” is, admittedly, a “loud” musical, but director Jacqueline
Hubbard has done a lot to tone down the overall impact – the six-member
orchestra is hidden below the stage rather than featured upper stage, as is
often the case in productions of this musical (normally with stacks of amps and
speakers to blow you out of your seats). Still, there’s a problem, mainly that
a lot of the lyrics seem to mesh together into a “mush” of sound. Perhaps it
has to do with Tate Burmeister’s sound design, or maybe everything should just
be slowed down a beat or two to allow for the sung “dialogue” to register –
perhaps this will happen once the production settles in.

And then, magically, the second act begins and the verbal
“fog” disappears and everything becomes crystal clear and the pathos inherent
in the show comes to the fore. Given the aforementioned challenges, there are a
lot of fine performances up there on the stage as the cast presents an updated
version of Puccini’s La Boheme, now
set on the Lower East Side of Manhattan as the AIDs virus rears its ugly head.

Of special note is Alyssa Gomez’s Mimi, the doomed courtesan
(if that’s what she is) who asks Roger (Johnny Newcomb) if he will light her
candle as she attempts to make a human connection. Also prominent is Stephanie
Genito as Maureen (her performance exudes sensuality), the lady who is sung
about by her former lover, Mark (Tim Russell), and current lover, Joanne
(Maritza Bostic) in “Tango: Maureen.”

One doesn’t know how long the cast and crew had for
technical rehearsals, but there are some lighting problems – when the cast is
arranged across the front of the stage (especially in the signature “Seasons of
Love” number), those positioned extreme stage right and left are almost in the
dark (perhaps they are meant to be), and often the follow spots seem to be
chasing the actors rather than anticipating their movements. It’s also not
obvious if some of the actors are missing their marks or the specials
(instruments meant to illuminate a specific character) are not precisely
positioned.

As mentioned, the second act magically comes alive. Unfortunately, on opening night, technology failed to do its job. Some in the audience might have been a bit confused as to why projections were running extreme stage right while the entire cast was gathered stage center for the moving finale. Bad directing choice? No, the computer froze and there was no way to reboot it unless the show was stopped, so the projections kept on running. Thus are the vagaries and vicissitudes of live theater.

Staging Rent is a
roll of the dice for Ivoryton, given the theater’s demographics and location.
In speaking with Hubbard prior to the opening night performance (after several
previews), she said that she has received several e-mail protests, including
one from a minister who, she said, hadn’t even seen the show. Thus, kudos to
Ivoryton and Hubbard for even considering the musical, and if some first-act
problems can be ironed out, the evening will be the engaging, heartfelt
experience it is supposed to be.

Rent runs through
August 28. For tickets or more information call 860-767-7318 or go to
www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.